Saturday, 26 May 2018

PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government has admitted to
flouting tender procedures by awarding Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga’s
wife Marry a lucrative multi-million dollar travel services tender without
following due processes, a court has heard.

Deputy Chief Secretary in the Office of the President and
Cabinet (OPC) Ray Ndhlukula said Mnangagwa’s office had violated procurement
rules in awarding the money-spinning service to East Town Holdings fronted by
Marry.

Ndhlukula was testifying at Harare Magistrates’ Court in a
corruption case against former Energy minister Samuel Undenge, who in 2016
allegedly fraudulently awarded a public relations outfit Fruitful
Communications a contract without going to tender and prejudicing the State of
$12 650.

Undenge’s lawyer, Alec Muchadehama quizzed the OPC Deputy
Chief Secretary: “Mr Ndhlukula, you were recently in the media having awarded a
tender to Marry Chiwenga without going for a tender?”

Ndhlukula responded while testifying before magistrate
Hosea Mujaya: “What I can say is that, Your Worship, there are certain
considerations we take regarding to travel companies, especially for government
officials as we consider their security and I can confirm that I gave them the
tender after soliciting for support.”

The Deputy Chief Secretary admitted that he did not request
for the company’s documentation like CR14 and Certificate of Incorporation
among others when the OPC awarded the deal.

“Did you go to tender?” Muchadehama asked to which
Ndhlukula responded in the negative.

The deal was signed within the first 55 days of the
Mnangagwa’s administration after toppling then President Robert Mugabe’s regime
on allegations that it was corrupt and surrounded by “criminals”.

Marry’s husband, Chiwenga, a retired army general who is
now the country’s Vice-President, was the face of Operation Restore Legacy,
which unceremoniously pushed a cornered Mugabe from power.

“So you gave her a tender without the requirements of CR14,
Certificate of Incorporation, nothing, but only an introductory letter?”
Muchadehama further probed, as Ndhlukula responded in the affirmative.

Ndhlukula also admitted that free services were not
supposed to be taken to tender as the letter signed by Undenge did not instruct
Zimbabwe Power Company to pay Fruitful Communications.